Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda

Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda

Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda

Synopsis

This book should be read by everyone involved in development. For those with some knowledge of Rwanda, reading it is nothing short of a cathartic experience. Much of what Peter Uvin has distilled so carefully and passionately from the Rwandan experience is also painfully relevant for other parts of the world. - Development in Practice Paradigm-rocking... simply must be required reading for anyone who desires to set foot in an African nation, no matter how noble or lofty their goals. - WorldViewsAn invaluable anatomy of the way development aid to Rwanda before the genocide contributed to what took place - essential reading for anyone with a tender conscience and a strong stomach. - The New Republic •Winner of the African Studies Association's 1999 Herskovits Award •A boldly critical look at structural violence relating to the 1994 Rwanda genocide Aiding Violence expresses outrage at the contradiction of massive genocide in a country considered by Western aid agencies to be a model of development. Focusing on the 1990s dynamics of militarization and polarization that resulted in genocide, Uvin reveals how aid enterprises reacted, or failed to react, to those dynamics. By outlining the profound structural basis on which the genocidal edifice was built, the book exposes practices of inequality, exclusion, and humiliation throughout Rwanda.

Excerpt

This book is the third step in a reflection process that has been both intensely personal and extremely open. It is not meant to be a definitive statement; rather, it seeks to provoke discussion among Rwandans, people who have worked and lived in Rwanda, and all those committed to social change in Africa.

The first step was a discussion paper published by the World Institute of Development Economics Research (WIDER) in Helsinki, Finland (part of the United Nations University), in both English (September 1996) and French (September 1997). the second step consisted of a process of soliciting feedback on that paper from a broad variety of individuals. a grant from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) allowed me to distribute the paper widely and to travel to meet people and give talks. As a result, I obtained hundreds of reactions from practitioners and academics throughout the world. Sadly, I did not feel that the political situation in Rwanda was conducive to a frank debate about these matters, so I did not organize a workshop in Rwanda, as I had originally planned. However, a great many Rwandans abroad shared their reflections with me and provided me with important insights and knowledge. I also sought and received feedback from nonRwanda specialists; many of them told me that much of what I wrote applied to other places too.

I owe thanks to many people who have been partners in this reflection process; however, none of them is responsible for what is written here, and some of them may strongly disagree with parts of it. First of all, I thank the many people who took the time to read the earlier paper or to come to talks and share their thoughts and knowledge. I have . . .

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A primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides first-hand or direct evidence on a topic. Common types of primary sources include works of literature, historical documents, original philosophical writings, and religious texts.

A primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides first-hand or direct evidence on a topic. Common types of primary sources include works of literature, historical documents, original philosophical writings, and religious texts.